Studio Boss Says Sequel to Billion Dollar Box Office Michael Jackson Biopic ‘Michael’ Could Start Filming By End of 2026
Categoria: Musica
The musical retelling of Jackson's rise to fame has been a massive hit, besting Bohemian Rhapsody to become the top-grossing musician biopic of all time.
Por Billboard | 07/08/2026
Cameras could start rolling on the sequel to the box office smash Michael Jackson biopic Michael as soon as the end of this year. According to Variety , on an earnings calls on Thursday, Lionsgate motion picture boss Adam Fogelson said the studio hopes to start production on the second part of the film in late 2026 or early 2027, with plans to release the second part at the end of 2027 or in early 2028. The studio initially held off on green-lighting the sequel to the film that became a worldwide sensation after its release this spring, pulling in more than $1.016 billion to date and leapfrogging the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody ($911 million) to become the top-grossing musician biopic of all time. The pause in confirming a part two came despite the first part of the film ending with the seemingly sequel-setup phrase “His Story Continues” during the end credits. The Antoine Fuqua-directed film chronicles Jackson’s rise to global superstardom as part of his family band the Jackson 5, through his breakout solo success that made him the biggest pop star on the planet. Starring Jackson’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the title role, the movie fades to black after the end of the 1987 tour in support of Bad , just before Jackson’s life was sent into turmoil by a series of child sexual abuse allegations that dogged the singer until his death in 2009 at age 50. At this point, Lionsgate has not revealed what will be included in the second part of the film. While scenes tied to some of the abuse controversy were reportedly filmed during the first shoot, a last-minute legal dispute forced producers to cut scenes chronicling child molestation allegations when the Jackson estate realized a clause in one of the settlements with accuser Jordan Chandler blocked them from addressing those claims in the film. The 11th hour discovery reportedly resulted in costly $50 million reshoots that delayed the movie’s release. In Thursday’s call, however, Fogelson made it sound like some of that material shot for the first film could be revisited in the next go-round. “We have a number of sequences, particularly some big musical sequences, that were shot previously, that are almost sure to be incorporated,” Fogelson said. “We are mostly focused right now on how to make sure we can deliver, at the right price, the biggest, best sequel. That is what the audience is going to want and deserve after the experience we gave them the first time.” He confirmed that the sequel will be able to use some previously shot material. Fuqua discussed the reshoots with Deadline earlier this year, explaining that the news about the reshoots came after he’d handed in his director’s cut. “ That was a tough day ,” he said, noting that the first film naturally appears to set up a sequel that takes on the allegations leveled against Jackson by Chandler and other accusers. Jackson vehemently denied any allegations of sexua